All the things to report!

Can you believe that it’s July already? I only have 6 months left to finish my PhD on time! Oh Em Gee…

As I’m coming to the pointy end of my doctorate, I’m finding that I have a bunch of things finished or almost finished to share with the world. I published my first journal article about performing and performativity online, which you can find here: http://ijx.cgpublisher.com/product/pub.202/prod.212 and I have a book chapter in press which likely to come out in print at the end of the year.

WerqSF is completely finished, with much thanks to those who were involved in the project and who continued to provide much needed advice during post-production. You can watch the episodes by clicking on the tab above marked WerqSF. The final episode will be loaded next week and explores how a selection of faux queens conceptualise notions of queerness. I’ve produced and submitted a special episode of WerqSF for Under The Golden Gate’s San Francisco Drag Short Film Contest. The submission deadline for this contest has been extended so I will have to wait a little longer to find out if my piece has made it into the contest. Once the contest is done and dusted I will add this special episode to the WerqSF collection. Selections from WerqSF will be screened at The University of Maryland Women’s Studies Department during the Fall Semester this year, with the opportunity for all viewers (online or live) to participate in a research survey about your reactions to the work.

I’m working on a drag cabaret inspired play script with song parody, original compositions and lip-syncing which I aim to have finished in first draft form by the end of this month. I’m working with Women’s Studies at The University of Maryland to stage the show later this year. If all goes to plan we will be putting out a casting call at the beginning of the Fall Semester. The overarching theme of the play is an exploration of questions and concerns which emerge when women do female drag (particularly straight identified women). The show raises and addresses broad themes about identity and performing gender which will appeal to those interested in feminist and queer issues and theory.